This may be a little too involved for this forum but I'll at least make the request and take it from there. I am so disgusted with my six month old XP computer that I'm about ready to throw it out the window. It's a Dell computer and I could call tech support and spend hours on the phone with them but I have more confidence in the techs here. What I am hoping to do is install XP without SP2. I have the CD-ROM that came with all my other Dell disks, but I also have another (completely legitimate) copy of XP-Pro. I am not sure if this disk has SP1 or SP2. But if there is a possibility that it has only SP1 on it I would prefer to install that version of XP instead.

I don't know if the problems that I am having are due to XP itself or due to SP2 but it's as though I have no control over my computer. I wanted to change my running processes in Task Manager to the ones that inferno has listed on her site. I did that and Windows changed them right back to the way they were. Anytime I try to make changes to my computer, it just undoes what I've done. I want to take back control of my computer and have it run the way that I want to - not the way Microsoft does. Will eliminating SP2 make it easier for me to do that?

Two weeks ago my Norton Internet Security decided - out of the blue - to deny me access to change settings. In fact, Norton Internet Security decided to turn itself off when I booted up this morning and will not let me turn it back on - says only the supervisor can do this. This is the exact same problem I had before which resulted in my doing a system restore to attempt to correct the problem. It worked for a while and now I have no control over it.

So to make this rather tedious explanation finally come to the point, how does one wipe out the hard drive and start all over. I did this with my 98SE by using fdisk, repartitioning, and then reinstalling Windows. The problem that I encountered was that I could not get my computer to access the Windows CD-ROM. I had to go into the BIOS and change the boot-up order so that my CD-ROM drive booted first and the floppy drive second. Then it would access the disk and install Windows (I went back in later and changed the BIOS back again). I know there is some other way to get the computer to access the CD-ROM at bootup without going into the BIOS but I don't know how.

The other problem I had when I was reinstalling drivers on the 98 was that I didn't install all of them correctly or in the correct order. So when installing drivers what would be the order? I thought that the chipset was first but I'm probably wrong.

OR...could I just try reinstalling Windows using the other XP-Pro CD-ROM in hopes that SP2 isn't included in it (there's no documentation on the disk or the pamphlet that came with it indicating if SP1 or Sp2 is included).

Any suggestions - any help (even if it's just to say "Call Dell and let them figure it out," would be gratefully appreciated.

tuesday next

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome raths outgrabe.

Find out from Dell whether your Dell disks will do a complete install of XP without having a previous install present.

It sounds like your computer may have picked up some sort of bug, either spyware or a trojan or virus of some sort, that messed it up. However there is a known problem with installing SP2 on at least some Dell computers. And if you try to install SP2 on any computer that has spyware present, it will cause problems.

I would think that the motherboard drivers should be installed before other drivers. I say that because I had a computer that didn't even know it had an AGP slot until I installed the motherboard drivers. On the other hand, I've also had computers that didn't need motherboard drivers at all. If your motherboard uses a VIA chipset, it probably will need the VIA 4-in-1 drivers, or some Dell-type variation of them.

Remember if you reformat, everything on your hard drive will be gone - at least from the partition you format. So back up anything you want to keep on CDR's first.

it sounds as though you are logging in not as the administrator but as a user. Either that or you have a trojan or worm. Have a look and the Housecall website to see.

Before you do ANYTHING, try this just to make sure...

Go to the control panel (and while your are there. Click on Tools up at the top... and then choose "Folder Options" . When the new window pops up in the General Tab, under Tasks; choose "Use Windows Classic Folders" Click apply Click OK.

Now In the Control Panel Locate the Icon for "User Accounts" and open it.

Does the Account that you normally use have administrator priviledges?

It's just a question, I don't have SP2 and have no interest in using it at the moment, so I'm just asking.

If you are the administrator .. I can't figure out why this is happeneing to your system, other than you must have some setting switched on to protect your system from you. Sounds very Microsoftie to me.

I've reformatted (F-disked) my system 4 times in the past two years and didn't have a problem doing it. The secret is to read carefully and take you time.

Have a look here: The Black ViperThis is the site I go to when I need help. There's lots of info here... do your research first.

Inferno, after you reformat and it's time to install windows, how do you get the computer to boot off the CD-ROM. That was the problem I had before on my 98SE. OR... can I just pop in my Windows XP-Pro with the mystery service pack without reformatting? Won't that wipe out my hard drive? Would I still need to reinstall all my drivers. My main goal is to try to get rid of SP2 anyway possible. It can't just be uninstalled because it came already installed on the computer. But if my other copy of XP-PRO is sp1 then I want to install that instead.

I glanced at the websites briefly, didn't have much time yet to read them fully. I found it interesting that msconfig is not supposed to be used - ooops. Oh, and I am apparently listed as the administrator. Weird. Thanks.

tuesday next

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome raths outgrabe.

OK, I just stuck in the other copy (non-Dell) of XP-Pro to see what would happen. A box comes up saying that this is an older version of the XP that is already installed on my computer. You know: WARNING! WARNING, WARNING! DANGER WILL ROBINSON! Then it says that if I want to go ahead and install this older version, to restart the computer. I do and nothing happens. It doesn't boot to the CD-ROM. How do I get my computer to boot from the CD-ROM with the XP-Pro disk in it???

tuesday next

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome raths outgrabe.

OK, here's what I tried to do. I went into the BIOS to change the boot sequence so that the computer will boot from the CD-ROM. But by doing that the other bootable devices (Onboard or USB floppy drive, Onboard SATA Hard Drive and Onboard IDE Hard Drive [not present]) get turned off. I can't find a way to just change the order. So when the computer boots off the CD-ROM and goes through a whole series of different drivers at the bottom of the screen, I get this message:

"Make sure any hard disk drivers are powered on and properly connected to your computer and that any disk-related hardware configuration is correct. This may involve running a manufacturer supplids diagnostics or setup program."

I'm wondering if I got this message because I turned off the SATA hard drive in the boot sequence. Any other ideas?

tuesday next

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome raths outgrabe.

Thanks Jenny but I couldn't find any answers at that site. I have a Dell Dimension 8400.

Here's what I did...I called Dell and told them that I wanted to wipe out my hard drive and reinstall Windows. He led me through the process: Hit F12 when the logo comes up and then select the CD-ROM option. The Windows XP disk starts to check out the computer. At the bottom of the screen a bunch of stuff goes by - drivers maybe. Then XP installs - takes about 40 minutes. Then we installed drivers: video, network, soundblaster, and the printer. He then told me to go ahead and install whatever other software I wanted.

Since I knew the sequence, I then tried to go through the same process using my other copy of Windows XP the one I'm hoping doesn't have SP2 on it). After Windows CD checks the computer, I get the same error message in my post above:

"Make sure any hard disk drivers are powered on and properly connected to your computer and that any disk-related hardware configuration is correct. This may involve running a manufacturer supplied diagnostics or setup program."

Why would I get this message with one version of Windows XP but not Dell's version of XP? Anyone know how I "power up" the hard drive.

Thanks.

tuesday next

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome raths outgrabe.

Jenny, I can try that but the problem isn't getting the CD to boot. It boots fine and does a system check, it just won't install because of the hardware disks. What could be on Dell's Windows XP disk that isn't on the store-bought Windows XP disk? I hate Dell and Microsoft. They won't let the licensed owner to do what ever he or she wants to do to their computer. GGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.

tuesday next

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogroves, and the mome raths outgrabe.

Originally posted by TuesdayNext:I don't know if the problems that I am having are due to XP itself or due to SP2 but it's as though I have no control over my computer. I wanted to change my running processes in Task Manager to the ones that inferno has listed on her site. I did that and Windows changed them right back to the way they were. tuesday next

I'm not really sure what you were trying to do with the Task Master and your running processes; but, I think you might be trying to fix something that isn't broke.

To the best of my limited knowledge, if you turn off your running processes at the task master it is only temporary. Unless you change what processes you want loaded at the time of boot, the same processes you turned off will load again when you boot your system. And if for some reason you need them turned off, you must do it again.

I personally have never needed to turn off a process to install or run a game. Applications yes - processes no.

I just didn't want you to feel frustrated that your computer was holding you hostage.

Question on your Norton problem. Were some of your processes turned off at the point at which your Norton started to act up? I've never had the problem you describe. If you can give more details, perhaps someone can help you with the situation.

I know my husband's new computer came with SP2 installed. SP2 is very much oriented towards the whole security issue; and, we had to do some little tweaks to the firewall on certain occasions.